According to the General Introduction to Pastoral Care of the Sick, “The priest is the only proper minister of the anointing of the sick. This office is ordinarily exercised by bishops, pastors and their assistants, chaplains of health-care facilities, and superiors of clerical religious institutes” (Pastoral Care of the Sick 8).

The General Introduction sets forth the norm that the anointing of the sick is intended for “those of the faithful whose health is seriously impaired by sickness or old age” (PCS 8). A person who is facing surgery may be anointed if the reason for the surgery is a serious illness (PCS 10). In addition, the elderly may be anointed “if they have become notably weakened even though no serious illness is present” (PCS 11). Children may be anointed “if they have sufficient use of reason to be strengthened by this sacrament” (PCS 12). For baptized Catholics who once had the use of reason and have subsequently lost it through unconsciousness, mental illness, or memory loss may be anointed if the person would have “asked for it when they were in control of their faculties” (PCS 14).

The law does not specify what constitutes a serious illness but leaves this determination to those who are involved, especially a priest who is the minister of the sacrament. According to the General Introduction, “a prudent or reasonably sure judgment, without scruple, is sufficient for deciding on the seriousness of an illness; if necessary a doctor may be consulted” (PCS 8). In other words, a normal judgment is to be used by the priest in determining if the person is seriously ill and, if necessary, a physician may be consulted in helping the priest make his determination.

In a footnote to paragraph eight referenced above, “the word periculose has been carefully studied and rendered as “seriously,” rather than as “gravely,” “dangerously,” or “perilously.” Such a rendering will serve to avoid restrictions upon the celebration of the sacrament. On the one hand, the sacrament may and should be given to anyone whose health is seriously impaired; on the other hand, it may not be given indiscriminately or to any person whose health is not seriously impaired” (PCS 8, footnote 8).

According to Canon 1005, if there is any doubt about whether the person is seriously ill, the minister may anoint.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church notes that “the Anointing of the Sick ‘is not a sacrament for those only who are at the point of death. Hence, as soon as anyone of the faithful begins to be in danger of death from sickness or old age, the fitting time for him to receive this sacrament has certainly arrived’” (1514). “If a person who received this anointing recovers his health, he can in the case of another grave illness receive this sacrament again. If during the same illness the person’s condition becomes more serious, the sacrament may be repeated” (1515). Thus, a person can be anointed during progressive stages of the same illness.

The simple answer is no. We do not anoint those who have already died. Sacraments are for the living. We do, however, want to help console any family members who are present at the death of a loved one. Priests or deacons or lay ministers may be called to assist with the consolation of family members. The Church has some fine prayers and her tradition of pastoral care to offer for the living family members at this time.

The renewed rites of the Church call this sacrament the Anointing of the Sick. It is no longer called “Extreme Unction” or “the last anointing.” This reflects the Church’s belief that this sacrament is for any person who is seriously sick or elderly. This sacrament can be celebrated several times in a person’s lifetime, whenever a sickness or advanced age causes a person to be concerned for their spiritual welfare.

Very simply, the Sacrament of the Sick consists of prayers, a laying on of hands by a priest, and an anointing with the holy oil of the sick. The rite may include private confession, and Holy Communion may be given to the sick person if he/she is able to receive.

Yes, definitely. All sacraments of the Church are, by nature, communal acts. The Church encourages family members and other members of the Church to be present for the celebration.

The Bishop’s Committee on the Liturgy Newsletter maintains that the communal celebration of the Anointing of the Sick “does not allow for indiscriminate anointing of all who are sick, but only of those who are seriously so” (BCL, March 1974, PCS 108). It is for this reason, especially in the communal celebration of The Anointing of the Sick, the judgment about those who will be anointed should be predetermined. The celebrant should know who is to be anointed, having been involved in the judgment about the seriousness of the illness. Such a prearranged determination will allow the priest to properly catechize the persons to be anointed about the meaning and purpose of the sacrament.

Also, “those to minister to the sick or take part in a communal celebration but are themselves in good health may not be anointed out of ‘solidarity with the sick.’ Such an abuse is to be avoided, since it weakens and destroys the meaning of anointing as a sacrament for the sick” (BCL, March-April 1979, PCS 108).